Reprinted fronflfcbe American iWysical Education Review, Yol. 11, No. 2, June, 1897. 
PHYSICAL TRAINING IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC 
SCHOOLS. 
The following extract from the Minutes of the meeting of the 
Boston School Committee, held June 8, 1897, should be of interest 
both to those who think well of Swedish school gymnastics and 
those who think otherwise : 
“ Mr. Lowell, for the Joint Committee on Examinations and Hy- 
giene and Physical Training, to whom was referred, from the files of 
last year, an order relative to the incorporation of a more thorough 
course of physical training into the school course, and the modifica- 
tion of the present curriculum so as to admit of more time being- 
devoted to this most important branch of education, presented the 
following report: —” 
The Joint Committee on Examinations and Hygiene and Physical 
Training, after hearing the petitions for an increased amount of 
physical training in the public schools, beg leave to submit the fol- 
lowing brief report: 
As the city becomes more densely populated the opportunities for 
normal and healthy exercise by children become less and less. A 
generation ago the boys and girls in most parts of the city were within 
easy reach of open lots, or suburban spaces, where they could play 
active games ; but with the growth of the city this is no longer true, 
and it has become necessary for the schools to supply a want unfelt 
in the past. 
The Swedish system of free movements in use in the Primary 
Schools is excellent as far as it goes, but it ought to be supplemented 
by a larger amount of physical training. This is still more.necessary 
in the Grammar Schools, where the free movements alone are far 
from sufficient for the needs of the older children. 
The additional time required cannot wisely be taken from the hours 
now devoted to study either in the Primary or Grammar Schools ; 
for the period of study in American schools is already shorter than 
that in the schools of other highly civilized nations, and the progress 
of the children in education is less rapid. There seems to be no 
reason, however, why in schools that have two sessions a part or the 
whole of the twenty-minute recess may not be profitably used for a 
system of games or light gymnastic exercises conducted under the 
direction of the teacher. The mental relaxation and the active 
1 the real value of the recess, would be 
t qifctftifrs fiieX are at) present. Physical Training in the Boston Public Schools. 
Among the pupils in the High Schools the need of physical culture 
is even greater. This is already supplied to some extent in the case 
of the girls by gymnastic exercises, which ought to be extended until 
in every High School there is a properly equipped gymnasium, and 
its use is a regular part of the curriculum. In the case of the boys 
the only physical exercise provided is that of military drill. Now it 
is the universal opinion of experts that the drill alone does not fur- 
nish the best kind of physical training; that it ought at least to be 
supplemented by regular compulsory work in a gymnasium. Such 
work might well be made preparatory to a somewhat abridged period 
of drill. A year, for example, might be devoted to it with great ad- 
vantage, and every boy might be required to attain a certain standard 
of development before he is placed in the school regiment. 
With a view to carrying out these suggestions the following order 
is herewith submitted to the board : 
Ordered, That the Board of Supervisors together with the Director 
of Physical Training be requested to prepare and put into operation 
a plan for giving effect to the recommendations of the foregoing 
report. 
The above report for the joint committee was made in response to 
a petition presented, rather more than a year ago, at the instance of 
the Boston Homoeopathic Medical Association, and as a result of a 
recent hearing, at which representatives of the Association and of 
the Boston Medical Improvement Society appeared to advocate “ the 
incorporation of a more thorough course of physical training into the 
school course.” Those who urged the granting of the petition were 
medical men who had carefully and at first hand investigated the 
working of Ling gymnastics in the schools. 
We are permitted to print the following extracts from the report 
presented by the Committee of the Medical Improvement Society, 
which consisted of Dr. W, Channing, Dr. E. H. Bradford, and Dr. 
W. M. Couaut: 
The commitee visited a number of schools of the primary, gram- 
mar, and high-school grades in the city proper, and in the outlying 
districts of Dorchester, Roxbury, Charlestown, Allston, and Brighton. 
In the beginning it may be said that the committee had no definite 
idea of just how much or little attention was given to physical train- 
ing in the Boston public schools. If they had any opinion, it was, 
perhaps, that the character of the work was rather meagre and un- 
satisfactory. They were aware of the earlier attempts that had been 
made, and of their final failure and collapse, and they were some- 
what sceptical as to what they would now actually find. Physical Training in the Boston Public Schools. 
3 
It gives them pleasure to say that they were agreeably disappointed 
from the start, for they soon discovered that physical training as now 
being given under the direction of the present department to the 
public school children was founded on solid scientific principles in 
which unity, harmony, and progression were apparent, and was being 
practically and successfully applied under a system of thorough, skill- 
ful, and careful organization. 
To lay out a plan on paper for an ideal system, and to put it into 
operation where the conditions are ideal, is not so difficult a matter; 
but to graft on to an institution of such conservative traditions as the 
Boston public school system a branch essentially new, and at first 
sight not of apparent direct relationship, is a task of considerable 
magnitude. However good in itself, it must lit in with other subjects, 
and help and stimulate, rather than antagonize. It must prove its 
fitness not only as a part of general education, but as a positive edu- 
cative force, before it can be regarded as having earned for itself a 
place in the school curriculum. 
We believe that so far as physical training has been developed in 
the Boston schools it has been along these lines. The seed has been 
deeply planted ; the roots of the tree have taken firm hold. Hand in 
hand with the other branches taught it is working harmoniously and 
beneficially. Everywhere the committee have gone they have been 
gratified to find the interest manifested by teachers and scholars. 
There may have been exceptions, but only frequently enough to 
prove the rule. 
It is especially gratifying to find how thoroughly and carefully the 
teachers have taken hold. No system, however good, could succeed 
without this co-operation, and we must regard it as one proof of the 
excellence of the present system that this interest has been aroused. 
One evident reason why so much good work has been accomplished 
with the pupils is that they are reacted on by and share in the enthu- 
siasm of the teachers. The committee are convinced that all the 
teachers of the schools must themselves be able to teach physical 
training if it is to have enduring vitality. They must feel it as a 
part of their personal work, and not something outside of and alien 
to themselves. Specialists to oversee and supervise there must neces- 
sarity be, but these should, when possible, be taken out of the regular 
school corps, and be experienced in the mental training and care of 
children. They will make all the better teachers of physical train- 
ing if they have first had the other kind. Probably in every school 
one of the regular teachers with a fondness for physical training can 
ultimately be detailed to look after that branch and see not only that 
by itself it receives proper attention, but also that its harmonious 
correlation with other subjects is carefully preserved. It stands to 
reason that this important matter will best be understood by an all- 
round teacher. The teachers themselves will naturally need the 4 
Physical Training in the Boston Public Schools. 
instruction of the best specialists, who, however, should never over- 
look the pedagogical side of the work. 
The present system, as understood by the committee, recognizes 
the need of regular instruction in physical training from the begin- 
ning of school life. To be of the greatest service it must begin early 
and be continued regularly each year to the end. Every year adds 
to its beneficial effects, both on body and mind, and it is not too much 
to say that it will have lasting influence on the health of the organ- 
ism. Furthermore we may look for the establishment of improved 
muscular co-ordination, which must result in more accurate and care- 
ful habits of mental action. It must not be forgotten that in as far 
as we are training the body to quick, active, and regular responses, 
we are at the same time training the mind in a similar manner. 
The Swedish system, as adapted for use in the schools, offers a great 
variety and diversity of exercises, and further enlivened with gym- 
nastic games is unsurpassed for school work. But the committee 
wish especially to call attention to the need of apparatus in the higher 
grades of the work. The word “ apparatus ” formerly suggested many 
expensive appliances, but it is one of the very great advantages of the 
Swedish system that it requires comparatively little apparatus, and that 
of a simple and inexpensive character. Little by little the effort should 
be made to introduce some of this apparatus into the higher schools, 
until ultimately every boy and girl entering a high school can have 
the chance to make use of it. It is to be hoped, of course, that all 
new school buildings will have a large, well-ventilated, and simply- 
finished hall for assembly purposes. In such a hall a few pieces of 
movable apparatus can be placed, occupying little room and not in 
any way detracting from its attractiveness. In the opinion of the 
committee no better expenditure of money could be made for the 
health of the school children and for the promotion of the best inter- 
ests of physical training than to introduce a few such pieces of 
Swedish apparatus in many of the present good-sized high or grammar 
school halls. The outlay in each school would be surprisingly small. 
The Girls’ Normal School may be especially mentioned as quite 
lacking in all facilities for teaching physical training. The girls at 
the school, who are to go out as teachers, and have had perhaps sev- 
eral years of special instruction, are here deprived of every opportu- 
nity for work, except on the most meagre scale. This is in every 
sense deplorable, for it disheartens, and in some cases interferes 
with the career of girls who might become valuable specialists, and it 
also reacts unfavorably on their physical health. For the good of the 
schools, the normal school should, above all others, contain a large, 
well-equipped gymnasium, where all the girls may receive thorough 
and full instruction. The normal school building appears to be quite 
unfitted for its present purposes, and the committee very much hope 
the city may speedily have a better one. It is pathetic and depress- Physical Training in the Boston Public Schools. 
5 
ing to see such a fiue body of young women working under such 
serious disadvantages. 
In nearly all the schools visited the gymnastic work is done under 
serious disadvantages, both from the overcrowded condition of the 
schools and the narrow and contracted arrangement of the rooms 
and corridors in all of the old and some of the new buildings. The 
crowding of the school-rooms is shown by the very narrow aisles 
between the desks. Most of these were found to be not more than 
sixteen inches in width, and in a number of schools not more than 
fifteen inches. It is manifestly impossible for large grammar school 
girls and boys to properly go through arm and leg movements which 
require plenty of room in such a limited space. It is difficult enough 
for small children, who require less room, but they can manage it 
after a fashion. In some schools with fairly ample corridors the pu- 
pils take some of their exercises in them, which is in every way to 
be commended, but unfortunately the corridors are too cramped in 
most of the schools to make this possible. 
The committee would suggest the desirability of increasing the 
width of aisles in all grammar schools to an average width of at least 
twenty inches, and more would be better. This could only be done 
by removing one row of desks, but it would seem desirable to do this 
whenever possible, not only to give more room for gymnastics, hut 
also to promote better hygienic conditions. A smaller number of 
scholars in the school-rooms would be of very obvious advantage. In 
the primary schools a width of eighteen inches between the desks 
would be none too much. 
The time allowed for gymnastics is at the present sixteen minutes 
daily. It is to be earnestly hoped that this length of time may in 
the future be considerably extended, so as to allow for a little work 
both in the morning and afternoon. It has been proved by Kraeplin 
and others that mental work is of a decidedly better character if there 
are periods of rest at certain intervals, and the committee believe that 
the school children would achieve better mental results if more fre- 
quent periods of physical activity could alternate with study periods. 
They would suggest the period for gymnastics be extended from six- 
teen to twenty minutes daily, the best use of this time to be arranged 
for by the director of physical training. 
The need of more school buildings must become apparent to any- 
one who visits the Boston schools, and they should be urgently prayed 
for until the necessity for them is at least recognized. They need not 
be ornate or palatial, if only they contain large and well-ventilated 
rooms and ample corridors. Simple and not costly buildings would 
be of the greatest utility, if it possible to erect such. In the 
meantime the committee would earnestly call attention to an adjunct 
of every good school, which may often be supplied with poor build- 
ings. Cannot the city furnish grounds which may, for certain hours 6 
Physical Training in the Boston Public Schools. 
at least, be used by school children ? A considerable part of this 
physical training can be given them in playgrounds. 
Not to speak of out-door gymnastic work, the number and variety 
of games, both for boys and girls, has largely increased during recent 
years. It would be of the greatest advantage if some plan could be 
thought out which would give all the children, at stated intervals, 
an opportunity to make use of playgrounds under proper super- 
vision, as part of their regular school-work. It would of course 
be most convenient to have these grounds adjacent to the school 
buildings, but where this is not possible the children could be sent to 
them at regular intervals. 
To briefly recapitulate, the following are the chief points to which 
the Committee take the liberty of directing attention : 
1. The broad, comprehensive, and scientific character of the present 
system of physical training. 
Summary. 
2. Its adaptability to the existing requirements of the school 
children. 
3. The interest shown by both teachers and pupils. 
4. The desirability of having all the teachers instructed in phys- 
ical training, as on them depends the success of the work. 
5. The desirability of selecting special instructors in physical train- 
ing from the regular school corps, rather than from specialists inex- 
perienced in general school work. 
6. The desirability of selecting one teacher as a local representa- 
tive of the Department in each school to supervise and take the 
responsibility of making the gymnastics a success. 
7. The due recognition of the importance of progression in the 
work from the beginning to the end of school life. 
8. The Swedish system, with the addition of gymnastic games, is 
the best in regard to variety of exercises. 
9. The necessity of apparatus of a simple character in high schools, 
and also in grammar schools to a less extent, if the system is to be 
adequately applied. 
10. This apparatus can be placed in a hall without detracting from 
its attractiveness. 
11. The lack of all facilities for teaching physical training in the 
th Girls’ Normal School, which sends a poorer grade of teachers of 
this branch into the schools than would be otherwise necessary. 
12. The importance of obviating this defect by providing for the 
Normal School girls a well-equipped gymnasium. 
13. The narrow, contracted aisles in the school-rooms, which prob- 
ably do not average over sixteen inches in width, not allowing suffi- 
cient room for gymnastic exercises. 
14. The desirability of increasing this width to twenty inches on 
the average, which could be done by lessening the number of pupils 
in the room, to their great benefit from a hygienic point of view. Physical Training in the Boston Public Schools. 
7 
15. The shortness of the time now allowed for the gymnastic 
exercises, which is sixteen minutes. 
16. The importance of increasing it to at least twenty minutes 
daily. 
17. The urgent need of larger and better playgrounds. New 
buildings should have ample grounds, but where children are obliged 
to attend existing schools with inadequate yard space they should, 
under proper supervision, be regularly taken to large playgrounds, 
and there have opportunity for exercise. 
For the Committee. 
Walter Channing, 
Chairman.